Bishop’s Annual Appeal making progress toward goals

Father Tien Tran, center, pastor of St. Cecilia Church in Waynesboro and Christ the Redeemer Church in Centerville, is pictured with members of the St. Cecilia Catholic community. One of the smallest parishes in the Diocese of Nashville, St. Cecilia was the first parish in the diocese to meet and exceed its dollar and participation goal in the 2018 Bishops Annual Appeal.

The Bishop’s Annual Appeal for Ministries is nearly halfway toward its goal of $2.5 million four weeks into the campaign.

As of Friday, May 11, the campaign had reached $1,147,534, or 45 percent of the goal.

“Another good sign is that many more parishioners are engaged in the Bishop’s Appeal with 3,934 donors thus far,” Brian Cooper, executive director of business services for the Diocese of Nashville, wrote in his weekly update on the Appeal’s progress. “This represents 64 percent of our overall donor goal with a number of these being new donor households (also a very positive development).”

The goal for the number of donors to this year’s appeal is 6,122.

Among the parishes making the most progress toward their goal for donors are the two Spanish-speaking churches. Iglesia Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, with 785 donors, has reached 1,306 percent of its goal of 60. And Our Lady of Guadalupe, with 322 donors, is at 49 percent of its goal of 659.

Three of the diocese’s smaller parishes have already reached their goals for both the amount raised in gifts and pledges and the number of donors.

St. Cecilia Church in Waynesboro has raised $985 in gifts and pledges, which is 322 percent of its goal of $306. The donations have come from 13 donors, which is 271 percent of the goal of five.

Christ the Redeemer in Centerville has raised $3,486 in gifts and pledges, which is 113 percent of its goal of $3,095. The gifts came from 11 donors, which was the parish’s goal.

Father Tien Tran is the pastor of both St. Cecilia and Christ the Redeemer.

The Church of Korean Martyrs has met its goals in both gifts and pledges – $2, 520 – and the number of donors – 12.

The parishes with the highest totals in gifts and pledges are: St. Henry in Nashville, St. Philip in Franklin, St. Stephen in Old Hickory, the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville and Holy Family in Brentwood.

Those at the highest percentage of their gift goal are: St. Cecilia, Christ the Redeemer, Church of the Korean Martyrs in Nashville, Divine Savior in Celina, and St. Michael Mission in Robertson County.

The parishes with the highest donor participation are: Sagrado Corazon in Nashville, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Nashville, Immaculate Conception in Clarksville, St. Stephen and St. Philip.

The parishes with the highest percentage of their donor participation goal are: Sagrado Corazon, St. Cecilia, Immaculate Conception, Christ the Redeemer, Divine Savior and the Church of the Korean Martyrs.

“As always, please know our many thanks to all pastors, priests, parish staff, and parishioners for all you are doing to make the 2018 Appeal a success,” Cooper wrote.